Pivoted cover for ring watches and the like



March 13, 1951 s. A. WITTMAYER 2,545,219

PIVOTED COVER FOR RING WATCHES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 3, 1946 INVENTORATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 13,1951

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIVOTED COVER FOR RING WATCHES AND THE LIKE2 Claims.

This invention relates to combinations of watches and rings, similar tothe one shown and described in my copending application for CombinationRing Watches, Serial Number 646,425, filed February 8, 1946, and has forits main object to provide a pivoted cover for the winding crown of thewatch, having a novel spring action closing and opening meansincorporated therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide, generally for a recessin a jewelry, or in any other object, a pivoted cover having a novelspring means incorporated therein, whereby the same may be caused tokeep both, its open, or its closed position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel spring for suchpivoted covers, whereby the same may have a stronger spring effect thanprovided by springs now used for such cases, and whereby the spring maybe exchanged without any disturbance to the rest of the mechanism.

Still other objects of this invention will be apparent as thespecification of the same proceeds.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and accompanyingthe same:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a ring carrying watch to which myinvention has been applied, showing said pivoted cover in a closedposition;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective outer detail view, taken as indicated by thearrow 3 in Fig. 2, while Fig. 4 is another inner fragmentary perspectiveview, taken as indicated by the arrow 4 in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail by characters of reference,the numeral l3 indicates my watch ring, in general, being composed of aring proper part I I, and a generally globular watch case 12 carriedthereby, the watch mechanism (not shown) being enclosed in said casing,said casing having a horizontally slidable cover l3, to expose the watchdial when desired, as it is well known in this art, and as has beendescribed in detail in my mentioned copending application.

As it is well known, and has been described in my said application, awinding crown I 5 projects from the casing 12, and a pivoted cover,generally indicated by the numeral I5, is provided to normally concealthe winding crown M. An aperture 6 is hollowed out in the respectiveleft side upper part Ila of the ring II, which is adapted to receive thelower part Ilia of the pivoted cover, when in a closed position.

The inner end I512 of said cover is pivoted on a pin H and will have thetwo rectangularly set operating surfaces l8 and [9. An opening 20 isprovided in the bottom of the recess Hi to the inside of the ring,however leaving a supporting surface or plate 2! at the rear bottom partof the recess H5. The upper end H50. of the recess 16 is closed by therespectiveportion 12a of the watch casing wall. A cross bar or pin 22 isarranged in the recess !6 over, but spaced apart from, the bottom restplate 2|.

Threaded between said cross bar 22 and the bottom rest plate 21, Iarrange my novel spring 23, its upper end pressing against the watchcase wall portion [2a, while its lower end protrudes through the opening20 in the front part of the bottom of the recess I6.

The recess IE will be wider at its upper end and narrowing towards thelower end thereof, as indicated in Fig. 3, and the spring 23 will have asimilar shape converging downwardly, as best indicated in the inner viewof Fig. 4. The lower free end 23a of the spring may be quit narrow, andpreferably rounded.

The use and operation of my novel pivoted cover, andthe spring securingmeans for the same, will be obvious from the herein description, and theshowing of the drawings; still I want to offer the folowing furtherexplanation:

Normally, the pivoted cover l5 will be in the closed position indicatedin Fig. 1, so as to conceal the winding crown M, the said coverpreferably being shaped to provide a part of the ornamental design ofthe ring. In such a position, the lower end 23a of the spring 23 willact on the surface l9, and by its action will keep the pivoted cover [5in its closed position.

When it is desired to expose the winding crown l4, the lid or cover I5will be opened up, turning on its pivot pin IT, as indicated by arrow24, its open position being shown in the Figs. 2, 3 and 4. In thisposition, the lower end portion of the spring 23 will act on the bottomend surface I8 of the lid I5, as best shown in Fig. 2, and by its actionobviously will keep the lid or cover IS in its said open position.

To again conceal the crown M, the lid 15 will be moved in a directionoppositely to arrow 24, the spring 23 insuring its steady motion, on thepivot I! under spring pressure, and acting on the surface [9 to keep thelid in its closed position.

To place the spring into the construction described, all that is neededis to place the same between the bottom plate 2| and the cross bar 22,its upper end pressing against, and being somewhat curved over, theupper end wall i2a of the recess I6, and then place the lid 15 intoposition and pivotally secure it by inserting the pin 11 into its place.The pressure of the spring end 23 against the inner end of the lid 15,in combination with the upper and lower supports 22 and 21 for thespring and its upper end pressing against the upper wall 12a, will keepthe spring in its operative position without any other securing means.

Similarly, if it is desired to exchange the spring, the pin ll may beremoved, the lid it raised, the old spring 23 pulled out of position,and a new one pushed into its place, whereupon the lid l may return toits pivoted position. Another method for exchanging the spring 23 mightbe in making the cross bar 22 in the form of a pin, the end of whichwill rest in appropriate throughgoing holes 22a in the side walls of therecess 16, and from between the lower end of the lid 15 and the bottomplate 2 I, upwardly, and replacing a new one in an opposite manner,pushing it downwardly, whereupon the cross bar 22 may be replaced.

These removing and exchanging operations are particularly efilcient whena spring 23 breaks, and in such cases, the parts of the spring obviouslycan be easily removed, and a new spring inserted.

With present similar pivot springs, when the same become worn orinoperative, or break, a portion of the ring or other jewelry usuallymust be disturbed to release portions of the spring secured thereinto bysoldering, or the like, and the new one also must be soldered in place,so that my device obviously is more practical, requiring less labor,less expense, and entailing less chances of hurting the delicate designor parts of a ring or other jewelry.

I may remark that the said downwardly narrowing shape of the spring 23,the upper wider portion thereof being amply supported in both directionsupwardly and downwardly by the watch casing wall 12a, the upper bar 22and the lower plate 2!, will also insure a safer operation for thespring, leading to much longer service thereof, and to less chance ofits breaking, while at the same time, the same construction willobviously make the spring action, and pressure of its lower end 23a,much stronger than would be the case if the spring 23 were shaped ofequal width, and without being supported in the treble manner hereindescribed and shown.

It is also obvious that my novel spring securing and control means maybe applied to other items of jewelry, where it is needed, and generallyto any appropriate, cases of pivoted lids or covers.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to beunderstood that changes and variations may be resorted to in theelements, combinations, and operation of my invention, and I reserve mrights to such changes and variations as are within the spirit of thisspecification, and the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new, and want to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a ring watch, having a ring proper and a housing with a watchmechanism therein secured on said ring, a winding crown projecting fromsaid housing in the plane or the ring, a cover for said crown, a recessin the ring to receive the lower portion of said cover, a pivot for saidcover at the lower end of said recess, an extension on the cover beyondsaid pivot to the inside of the recess, a fiat spring placed at thebottom of the recess, the inner end of the spring leaning against theinner end wall of the recess, said bottom having an opening underneaththe free outer end of the spring, said outer end of the spring having atendency for upward pressure and engaging said extension on the cover insuch direction, and a transverse bar across said recess, engaging saidspring over the intact portion of said bottom, said bar being removableto allow an exchange of the spring without disturbing the rest of thedevice.

2. In a ring watch, having a ring proper and a housing with a watchmechanism therein secured on said ring, a winding crown projecting fromsaid housing in the plane of the ring, a cover for said crown, a recessin the ring to receive the lower portion of said cover, a pivot for saidcover at the lower end of said recess, an extension on the cover beyondthe said pivot to the inside of the recess, a fiat spring placed at thebottom of the recess, the inner end of the spring leaning against theinner end wall of the recess, said bottom having an opening underneaththe free outer end of the spring, said outer end of the spring having atendency for upward pressure and engaging said extension on the cover insuch a direction, a transverse bar across said recess engaging saidspring over the intact portion of said bottom, said upper wall of therecess being formed by the watch casing.

S. ALEXANDER WITTMAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,404,536 Maculskiys 1- Jan. 24,1922 1,494,104 Dinhofer May 13, 1924 1,494,165 Hall May 13, 1924 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 1,413 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1889 418,845Germany Sept. 13, 1925 439,336 France June 11, 1912

